


Natasha Always Wins the Bet

by HawkyBarton



Series: OTP and Fanfic Brigade (Prompts galore) [55]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Avengers!parents, Clint Barton Needs a Hug, Fluff, I CAN NEVER STOP THE PHLINT, M/M, clint is so sad but so cute, kid!Clint, prompt, steve and thor are bros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-19 11:40:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4744982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HawkyBarton/pseuds/HawkyBarton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clint Barton was a 10 year old being used as bait by Hydra. </p>
<p>The Avengers won't stand for that shit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Natasha Always Wins the Bet

**Author's Note:**

> Anon asked: Clint is a ten year old that Barney and the other two sold to a bad guy (maybe Doom or someone else) and they use him either as a sniper or bait. They also use him as a punching bag or an outlet to get their frustrations out. Anyway they send him out into the middle of a battle and he's crying and holding his stuffed Robin Hood and aw. But while they're distracted the bad guys are gonna get them and he's lisps a warning. cute little Clint makes me happy. Avengers decide to adopt him bc Fury wants to get info out of him and then probably send him back to the foster system. Clint is terrified and who can resist those big blue eyes and that puppy face cmon

Clint was 6 years old when his father crashed his car into a tree, instantly killing himself and his mother. 

Clint was 7 years old when Barney forced him to escape from the orphanage and go to the traveling circus. 

Clint was 8 years old when Barney, Jacques, and Buck traded him to three men in dark suits for $50,000.

Clint was 9 years old when he learned how to shoot his first gun, play the bait, a yet again become another grown man’s punching bag when the get drunk.

Clint was 10 years old to the day that those men first sent Clint out to fight their battles for them. 

 

~

Clint knew that the corporation that he had been sold to was named Hydra, they made sure he knew who he was working for at all times. 

The day they first sent him out, was the day the Avengers came to wipe out the latest Hydra base. 

Hydra knew that the Avengers would never hurt a child, and if they did - it was no skin off their noses. Clint would be the perfect distraction so they could overtake the Avengers.

So, Clint was sent out into the cold Russian winter to stand and wait for the Avengers to make their way to the base. 

In his hand was clenched his only friend in the world. A Robin plushie that one of the vendors had given to Clint when he saw the little boy admiring it. 

Clint knew that Robin had been in the circus, just like him, and grew up to be a super hero. 

Clint wished he could be a super hero. 

Sniffling, Clint clutched Robin to his chest and waited.

 

*******

“Alright team, we have a clear shot to the base. Tony can you-?”

“Hold on there Spangles, I see something in front of the base”

Steve frowned, “Can you tell what it is?”

Tony hummed, “Too small. You’re closer to see what it is on the ground”

“I’ve got it,” Natasha murmured over the comms. 

“Go for it” Steve said back to her. 

Steve drove through the winter snow as what seemed like a snail’s pace, keeping watch of anything that could appear to be trouble. 

“Guys? We have a problem” Natasha said over her comm after several minutes. 

Frowning, Steve looked around “Hostiles?”

“No. More like a child”

“...... What”

“You should all just make your way over here. I think he’s about to cry”

Suddenly speeding, Steve made his way over to Natasha within a minute to find, yes exactly what she said, a small child. 

Stopping his bike, Steve climbed off the thing and walked over to where Nat was trying (and failing) to comfort the boy.

Sliding onto his knees, Steve gave the boy a soft smile as the rest of the team converged on their location.

“Hello,” Steve said quietly. “My name is Steve. Do you speak English?”

The little boy stared at Steve for a moment before nodding. 

Steve just smiled wider in return, “That’s great.l Could you possibly be able to tell me and my friends your name?”

The little boy bit his lip nervously, tears beginning to pool in his eyes.

“Oh hey! Don’t cry, you don’t have to tell us your name” Steve said quickly.

Tony (in full Iron Man suit) stepped forward, “I got this Spangles. Hey id, why are you out here by yourself?”

This caused the boy to start quietly sobbing, a worn plushie clutched tightly to his chest.

Shooting a glare at Tony, Steve inched closer to the boy. “Don’t mind Iron Butt. You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to. But this area isn’t safe, and we should probably get you out of here, yeah?”

The little boy sniffed and looked around quickly before stepping close to Steve and wrapping his arms around his neck.

Steve, surprised that the boy put trust in him, lifted the boy into his arms and stood up. 

“Wait,” a little voice rasped, causing Steve freeze. “They wanted you distracted so they could hurt you. Watch out” The little voice continued, a lisp present. 

Tucking the boy close to his chest, Steve turned to the team “It’s a trap. Everyone get ready”

Suddenly, gun fire went off. Thinking quickly, Steve hid the boy somewhere safe and threw himself into the fight.   
  
*******

Clint watched in awe as The Avengers completely wiped out the Hydra base within an hour. 

Cuddling Robin to his side, Clint crawled out of his hiding spot when he realized the battle was over. 

Standing up straight, Clint watched the team trudge back toward him, the man who comforted him (Steve Rogers AKA Captain America) in the lead.

When Steve and the team reached Clint, Steve went right back down onto his knees like before and smiled at Clint. “Everything’s safe now buddy, we can get you home”

Clint looked down at Robin, then back up at Steve to shake his head. 

“No?” He said with a confused frown.

“I don’t have a home,” Clint said quietly in return. 

Steve smiled sadly and placed a hand on Clint’s shoulder, “Well... I guess we’re gonna have to take you home with us then”

Clint looked into Steve’s face for a minute, before giving the man a blinding smile.

 

*******

The Avengers were on the quinjet as they returned to New York, their young companion asleep on one of the benches. 

Jarvis was piloting the jet as the team sat around the table and discussed.

“Pretty sure we can’t just keep a kid,” Tony said quietly.

“Why not? He’s probably an orphan, it wouldn’t be that hard to adopt him. I mean, you _are_ Tony Stark” Steve spoke back. 

Thor hummed, “A child does always make things happier in a home, and this child needs someone to make him happy as well”

Steve pointed to Thor, “See?”

Bruce shook his head, “I’m kinda on Tony’s side. We can’t just keep the kid. Besides, who would watch him when we were on missions? What if something happens in the tower?”

Steve sighed, “I guess you do have a point”

Natasha hummed, “Well this is all well and good. But we can’t decide anything until we talk to Fury or he’ll get majorly pissed. Also, we don’t even know the kid’s name”

Steve frowned, “True.....”

“Clint” 

The team jumped at the voice that came from nowhere, and turned around to look at the object of their discussion.

‘What was that buddy?” Steve said with a smile.

“My name is Clint,” the boy said. “And this is Robin” he continued as he showed them the beat up plushie.

Steve grinned, “It’s nice to meet you Clint. Why don’t you go back to sleep? We still have a long way before we get home”

Clint nodded, “Okay Mr. Rogers” and immediately fell back asleep.

Steve turned back to the team. 

“Shit that was cute,” Tony said.

“We’re gonna have to fight Fury to keep him,” Natasha said with a sigh.

“I’ll start figuring out ways to keep the labs safe from a kid,” Bruce added on.

Steve and Thor just grinned at each other.   
  


*******

Nick Fury looked down at the boy sitting across the table from him. “Tell me everything you know about Hydra, kid.”

Clint looked up at the one-eyed man and shrugged his shoulders. 

Fury raised an eyebrow, “Shoulder shrug? That’s all you know? How long were you there?”

Clint shrugged again.

Fury sighed and tried again, “Do you know who captured you?”

Clint shrugged. 

 

*******

Fury stalked out of the interrogation room and glared at the Avengers, “I can’t get anything out of the kid. He’s not telling me anything, so you might as well send him to the nearest orphanage”

Steve stood up, “I’m afraid we can’t do that sir. We’ve decided to keep _Clint_ and raise him as our own. If you have a problem with that sir-”

Fury waved a hand. “I do, but I’m not gonna argue with you stubborn SOBs. Take the kid home, and if he talks - tell me immediately”

Steve nodded, “We will sir”

 

*******

Clint’s eyes went wide as he saw the tower, and they went even wider went he got inside. 

“Big right? I did the same thing when I first got here” Steve said to Clint as he picked him up and carried him across the floor. 

Clint just clung to Steve’s neck, smiling shyly at the rest of the team as the elevator rose through the floors. 

“Welcome to your new home squirt!” Tony said with a exuberance. “If you have any questions at all, feel free to ask Jarvis - the computer in the ceiling, and he’ll help you in any way he can. Now, before we get to the house rules, we’re gonna have to talk my little man”

Clint raised an eyebrow at Tony as Steve sat them both down. “You guys want to know about Hydra, right?” he said with his little lisp still in place.

Steve nodded, “You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to, or don’t know anything”

Clint shrugged, “I can tell you what I know. I don’t know if it will help”

Natasha sat down next to Clint and ran her fingers through his hair, “Anything with help”

Clint, unused to the feeling of fingers petting through his hair, closed his eyes and nuzzled her hand as he told them everything he knew about Hydra. 

“That’s phenomenal Clint!” Steve said when he was finished. “That will help a great deal. Now onto another question-”

“I’m 10″ Clint said quickly. “My last name is Barton. I had a brother named Barney, and we were in the circus for a while. The swordsman and archer plus my brother were the ones who sold me to Hydra 2 years ago”

Everyone’s heart broke in the room.

“Well, you do not have to worry anymore young one. For we shall take care of you!” Thor said with a smile.

Clint just grinned back.

 

*******

_15 Years Later_

“I would love to say I’m surprised kid, but I’m not. Welcome to SHIELD Barton”

Clint smiled at Fury as the man clasped him on the back, “It’s good to be working for an organization that’s on the right side of the law”

Fury snorted, “Smart ass. Come meet your handler, he’s one of the best. His name is Phil Coulson”

Clint hummed, “Can’t wait to meet him”

 

~

Steve walked into SHIELD two months later to find Clint and Phil making out against the wall of the gym.

“Well damn, Nat wins the pool” he said with a smirk before turning around to give the two men some privacy.

**Author's Note:**

> (( You can prompt me if you wish for other fics, or for any ideas you may have about this fic at [ Hellogoodbye](http://hellogoodbye741.tumblr.com/ask) ))


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